The present invention relates to an axle alignment system, and more particularly to an alignment system which uses a reflected signal to align an axle of a trailer.
Trailer axle assemblies are typically combinations of suspensions and axles manufactured at various locations other than the trailer manufacturing plant. The suspension assembly includes linkages and components on which to mount a pair of axles. The trailer manufacturer attempts to align the axles relative to the suspension elements, and to align the axles parallel to one another. Proper alignment of a trailer's axles is important for proper handling and vehicle safety. In addition, proper alignment decreases fuel consumption and improves ride quality and tire wear. These qualities are particularly important for heavy freight carrying vehicles which must travel long distances. However, obtaining the proper alignment in an assembly line setting is difficult, as the minute adjustments must be made quickly and accurately. Of course, these complexities are multiplied when aligning a multi-axle suspension assembly.
Typically, the prior art at the trailer assembly plant has been to measure the distances from the ends of the front axle with respect to a common reference point such as a kingpin. The relative position of a second axle is then manually measured. After the initial adjustment has been made to start the adjustment process, it is often necessary to measure more than once to achieve the correct adjustment. This procedure is very time consuming.
After the trailer has been placed into commercial service, the prior art has sometimes used laser alignment systems for maintenance operations. The laser equipment is attached to the axle wheel assembly to cause the laser beam to impact an established reference point, such as a kingpin, if the axle is in proper alignment.
Lasers have also been used to align wheels in automotive applications. However, lasers have not been used to align axles on independent subframes by any component manufacturing assembly line.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an accurate alignment system that is relatively inexpensive, operates quickly and can align a plurality of axles simultaneously.